Air-propeller.



W. N. WHIPPLE.

AIR PROPELLBRL APPLICATION FILED JUNE 15, 1911.

1,131,76Q, Patented Mar. 16, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Witnesses kmq.

Inventor HM" Attorneys W. N. WHIPPLE.

AIR PROPELLER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 15,1911.

1,181 7621, Patented Mar. 16, 1915.

Z SHEETS-SHEET 2.

15W Witnes ses l lnyentor between the periphery of the wheel and the UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM K. CF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB TO GEORGE E.

' SYRACUSE, NEW .YORK.

am-rnornmn.

Specification of Letters Itatcnt.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILL'IAM N. WHIPPLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Air-Propeller, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to'improvement 1n air propellers, the primary object of the mvention being the provision of a propeller or power wheel for acting upon currents of air so as to push or pull any form of vehicle, such for instanceas an air ship, automobile, vehicle or boat. Y 7

Another. object of this invention is the production of a peculiar form of power wheel or propeller which is provided with a series of integral buckets or wings so constructed that when the wheelfis-rotated the air at one side will pass through the wheel as rapidly as it is contacted with thereby creating a vacuum at the suction sideof the wheel and leaving the full air pressure at the power side of the wheel, the wheel being so mounted as to permit the moving of the vehicle forwardly or rearwardly according to the direction of the rotation of the wheel, in other words, the wheel is rotated in one direction to pull the vehicle and the opposite direction to back the vehicle.

In this particular form of the invention, the air is conveyed to and from the wheel through a cylindrical tube or conduit, thus giving a greater means of creating a vacuum, as the tube will confine the air and limit the amount of air that contacts the vacuum side of the wheel, to the amount that would naturally flow through the tube. The tube used with this wheel may or any desired material and the wheel is adapted to be placed. transversely of the tube and snugly within the tube, the diameter of the inner face of the tube being substantially the diameter of the wheel, thus making a practically air tight connection inner circumference of the tube so that air cannot pass from one side of the wheel to the other, inside of the tube centrifugally as the air is exhausted. This particular form of wheel is adapted to be operated by any form of motor, such for instance as an explosive or electric motor, or a steam engine, dispensing with the cumbersome clutches, transmission gearing, differentials, and in proceeds,

be made of metal yond the ends near enough fact any of the mechanism for transmitting power from the engine to traction wheels,

Patented Mar. 16, 1915.

thisinvention rendering it only necessary to regulate the speed of the engine or motor.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through the air confining and conducting tube with the propeller in operable relation therewith. Fig; 2 is a perspective view of the propeller alone. Fig. 3 is a cross section through the air conducting tube looking from the motor end thereof toward the propeller. Fig. l is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view through a portion of the tube and the Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the cylindrical tube which is of the same area in cross section throughout its length, and has mounted concentrically thereof and therethrough a shaft 2, having mounted thereon and rotatable within the tube a propeller or wheel 3, said wheel comprising the hub 4, having the short inner spiral spokes 5, the intermediate concentric ring 6, the outer series 7 of spiral blades or spokes, and the outer rim or periphery 8.

In view of the fact that the propeller fits snugly within the tube 1 and has a smooth periphery, it will be seen that said tube con-' stitutes a bearing for the propeller and thus it becomes unnecessary to provide additional bearings within the tube to prevent the propeller from vibrating while in operation. Such inserted bearings would be decidedly objectionable because they would interfere with the free circulation of air through the tube and, should bearings be located beof the tube, they would not be to the propeller to prevent it from vibrating while in operation. As before stated, however, in the present structure the propeller bears upon the inner wall of the tube and the provision of special bearings is thus rendered unnecessary. These blades, wings, or spokes are so disposed and shaped, as to, when rotated withair propeller.

. of the wheel andleaving in the tube 1 by its shaft, act upon the air conducted into the tube and permit the air to pass through the wheel as rapidly as it comes in contact with the spokes or blades thereof, thus creating avacuum at that side the full air pressure upon the opposite side of the wheel, a force equal to the air'pressure so exhausted, thus'pro'vi'ding a propulsion. means to push or pull any form of vehicle, it being understood that the shaft is connected to some form of motormounted in a vehicle of some character as before stated. It will also be noted that there are a greater number of blades 7 than 5, the proportion being the same in Wheels of different diameters, and the distance between the blades 7 is substantially the same as that between the blades 5. The most practical proportion is 24' to 13, a wheel made with twenty-four blades as 7, and thirteen as 6,' having demonstrated this important feature.

7 From the foregoing description it is evident that the air is acted upon by the propeller or wheel from theouter end of the tube and that the action of the wheel thereon will produce the desired effect to propel the vehicle to which the tube and wheel with its shaft are connected and that the'speed of the vehicle can be regulated by the speed of .the motor, thus dispensing with cumbersome transmission gears, clutches and various other devices as usually employed.

The cardinal or most salient feature of the present invention resides in the provision of the relatively long tube 1, and the position ofthe particular propeller or impeller centrally between the ends of the tube, the propeller or impeller embodying a hub secured on the shaft extending axially through the tube, a plurality of concentric rings and blades being secured between the respective rings, and between the hub and respective ring, the outer ring or rim working snugly within the walls of the tube. This particular arrangement was particularly designed prevent the whirling and the centrifugal and centripetal actions of the air in approaching and leaving the propeller or impeller, which actions of the air are present with the ordinary exposed propellers, thereby decreasing their efiiciency to a considerable extent. With the present device, however, the air approaches and leaves the propeller in a uniform longitudinal 'column or shaft, in order that the greatest efliciency is possible. The disposition of the propeller midway between the ends of the relatively long tube not only permits the propeller to be operated in reverse directions, but constrains the air'to approach and leave the propellerin a uniform and even manner. The concentric rings 3 and 6 serve to prevent the centrifugal and centripetal action of the air passing through thegpropeller, the outer ring or rim 3 fitting snugly within the walls of the tube to prevent the air from passing around combination of the tube and specific propeller or impeller, as specified, thus reduces to a minimum, the whirling and the centrifugal and centripetal actions of the air in approaching and leaving the propeller, whereby the efliciency is increased to the maximum.

What is claimed is The combination with air conducting tube, axially therethrough, of on the shaft and including a peripheral ring and a plurality of blades extending inwardly from the rim, said rim bearing upon the inner surface of the tube adjacent the center of the'tubeto hold the propeller and shaft against vibration.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM WHIPPLE.

to avoid or Witnesses:

THOMAS W. BEAKBANE, CHARLES B. WHIPPLE.

the propeller. The

a relatively long and a shaft extending.

a propeller secured 

